Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play When My Baby Smiles At Me on piano
By Ted Lewis
- F major
- 2/2
- 120 BPM
- 1996
- Easy
Play the full song with sheet music
Learn When My Baby Smiles At Me in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: Fdim – F – Fdim – F
How it goes
When My Baby Smiles At Me sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: Fdim is F, Ab and Cb; F is F, A and C. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
Fdimi°FIFdimi°FI- FdimF · Ab · Cb
- FF · A · C
- 2
Left hand: Island zigzag
How it goes
A jump up, then down past the start, in the three-three-two rhythm. Musicians call it broken chord 8-12-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 302 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Wait-a-beat chords
How it goes
Silence on beat 1, then chords on 2, 3 and 4, leaving room for the bass. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 120 BPM
How it goes
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
- 5
Ending: Bb – C – F
How it goes
The last chords are IV – V – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
BbCF- BbBb · D · F
- CC · E · G
Play next
Questions about When My Baby Smiles At Me
What chords are in When My Baby Smiles At Me?
The loop is Fdim – F – Fdim – F (io – I – io – I) in F major, and the song ends on Bb – C – F.
What key is When My Baby Smiles At Me in?
F major, at about 120 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in When My Baby Smiles At Me?
Island zigzag: broken chord 8-12-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is When My Baby Smiles At Me easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.